The Marquette Police Department is investigating damage to the statue of Phil Niemisto in the pocket park along West Washington Street. The damage took place sometime Saturday night or early Sunday morning. (Journal photo by Christie Bleck)

MARQUETTE — For the second time since since its public unveiling in October, the statue of the late Phil Niemisto has been vandalized.

The statue of Niemisto, who died in February, is located in the pocket park along West Washington Street in Marquette that bears his name.

That statue, according to the Marquette Police Department, was vandalized sometime Saturday night or Sunday morning. The police discovered the damage at 7:35 a.m. Sunday.

Niemisto was well regarded in the community for his diligent washing of windows in the downtown areas. He also tended the pocket park that now, unfortunately, has yellow crime scene tape around the statue, which remains largely intact.

Marquette police Detective Greg Kinonen said the hat, as well as other parts of the statue, were damaged.

“We’re still investigating it at this point,” said Kinonen, who noted police were pulling video from the downtown camera this morning.

He also said police have to determine whether the damage was inflicted intentionally or unintentionally.

Alex David Wiitanen, of Marquette, pleaded guilty in April to a reduced charge of malicious destruction of a memorial or tomb, which was related to the vandalism of the Niemisto statue that occurred on the night of Jan. 19 or the early morning hours of Jan. 20.

Spearheading the statue project from the beginning was Mona Lang, executive director of the Marquette Downtown Development Authority, who said that almost $14,000 was raised from the community to have local artist Earl Senchuk create the statue.

Senchuk sculpted Niemisto’s likeness using a combination of concrete and steel. His face and hands were modeled from a direct molding and cast in Permastone.

Senchuk, who already repaired the statue after the first vandalism, said he would repair the latest damage Tuesday. He said someone whacked the hat loose, which pushed it sideways. He then took it home to fix for free.

“If this happens too many times I’m going to get tired of doing it,” Senchuk said.

He and others, though, expected this type of vandalism of the statue.

However, Senchuk added: “Getting so many compliments on it, I can’t complain.”

Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250.